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Volquez to start series finale at Coors Field

Volquez to start series finale at Coors Field

DENVER -- Maybe to get Edinson Volquez to sign a free-agent contract last week the Dodgers promised to rush him into their starting rotation, because that's what they're doing.

Manager Don Mattingly said Volquez will start Wednesday night against the Rockies, bumping Hyun-Jin Ryu to Friday night in Cincinnati and causing enough adjustments that Mattingly was a little fuzzy on all of the consequences.

As best as Mattingly could explain, starting Volquez on Wednesday gives Ryu two extra days of rest. But Mattingly also said Zack Greinke would start Saturday and Clayton Kershaw on Sunday, each on one extra day of rest.

That makes Chris Capuano the odd man out, even though he allowed one run over seven innings in his most recent start Saturday. Mattingly said the rotation beyond Sunday had not been set.

Earlier Monday, Mattingly said he was impressed with Volquez's bullpen session Sunday.

Mattingly wants to see Volquez start a game with a twofold purpose -- to give the other starters an extra day of rest and to see if the initial mechanical adjustments implemented by pitching coach Rick Honeycutt show signs of helping the right-hander reclaim his 17-win form.

It figures to be a herculean test for Volquez, based on his past performances in Coors Field. He is 1-5 with an 8.39 ERA in Denver lifetime and 3-7 with a 7.71 ERA against the Rockies over his career. This year he is 0-2 with a 14.02 ERA at Coors Field and 0-4 with a 13.08 ERA against Colorado. Ryu has never pitched at Coors Field.

Volquez has pitched one scoreless inning in his only relief appearance since signing with the Dodgers on Friday, but the club sees him as a starter.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.